KHAIRPUR - Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Saturday the government had ensured rights to all religious minorities living in the country and stood for their religious freedom.

Expressing his surprise over a US report about religious freedom of minorities in Pakistan, the prime minister said he wanted to tell the US that Pakistan always stood for protection of religious freedom of all minorities. He said all people had equal rights under the constitution of the country.

As an independent and sovereign country, Pakistan is a peaceful abode for all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, he said while addressing a gathering of Hindu community in Raharki, Ghotki District. He said today’s Pakistan belonged to the Hindu community as much as to any other community. Under the Constitution of Pakistan, he said, all citizens were equal and had equal rights. He said, “It is government’s responsibility to protect rights of all of citizens. Whether it is federal or provincial government, it is their duty to ensure religious freedom of all. Pakistan was created with this objective.”

The prime minister said today’s world was too complex but the basic religious teachings were permanent. He said, “Islam is a religion of peace, love and brotherhood. On August 11, 1947, our founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had made it clear that in the state of Pakistan everyone would be free to go to their places of worship. Pakistan belongs to all irrespective of caste, creed or religion.”

The prime minister said in a democratic system public issues are resolved whereas in a despotic system issues are suppressed. He laid stress on continuation of the democratic system in the country. He said in line with the vision of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif the PML-N always talked about serving the masses. “The PML-N has always done politics of decorum and never used its platform for indecency. Neither has it used its platform to degrade someone. The PML-N always stood for love and affection,” he added.

The prime minister said under the PML-N government mega development projects in energy and power sectors were being executed. He said the government wanted an economically strong Pakistan with immense job opportunities for the youth. He expressed his optimism that people would take a wise decision in the upcoming general elections. He lamented that none in the previous governments ever tried to address power and energy crises. Even from this province many people have served as prime ministers of this country, but none had ever built a motorway, he said. It is under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif that motorways were being built in the Sindh Province up to Sukkur, he added.

The prime minister also took notice of the killing of two youngsters in Mithi and said that he had instructed the Sindh Police inspector general to sort out this issue. The government will not tolerate such incidents and will take action, he assured the gathering.

Governor of Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, State Sinister for Interprovincial Coordination Dr Darshan, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Saddiqul Farooq, patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council and PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani and other leaders were also present.

The prime minister also attended a lunch hosted by Dr Darshan Lal.

Abdul Ghaffar Mahar